Numerous new principal assignments announced

Published: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 6:26 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 6:26 p.m.

Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn announced a wave of new changes throughout the School District, naming two new district administrators and shifting eight principals to new schools, launching a domino effect throughout the county.

Tomyn's changes will take effect for the 2013-14 school year, which begins in July 1. Tomyn took office in November, replacing Jim Yancey who retired last year.

Tomyn said he has been meeting with his deputy superintendents to develop the best education plan for the district's 50 schools. The group interviewed principals to determine their goals. They also looked at those principals' experiences and strengths to determine where they best fit within the district.

Tomyn said many of the principals have been at their respective schools for four or more years. His team worked on the plan for a lengthy period of time before deciding what they felt was the best moves for the district.

“All of these principals are capable leaders,” Tomyn said.

Moving to the district office will be Lake Weir Middle School Principal Kathy Quelland, who will become director of school development and evaluation, a role designed to develop and evaluate school principals.

She joined the district in 1981 and previously served as principal at North Marion High school.

Also moving to the district office will be Maplewood Elementary School Principal Barbara Dobbins, who will become the director of Exceptional Student Education (ESE), a department responsible for educating more than 8,000 students with special needs.

Dobbins joined the district in 1999 and served as assistant principal at two schools before transferring to Maplewood, an ESE center school.

Those promotions triggered a landslide of principal moves.

• Emerald Shores Elementary Principal Stephanie Callaway will take over for Quelland at Lake Weir Middle. She previously was an assistant principal at Fort McCoy School.

• North Marion Middle School Principal John Williams will replace Callaway at Emerald Shores. Williams, who moved from South Florida, joined the district in 2009.

• South Ocala Principal Laura Burgess will transfer to Maplewood Elementary to replace Dobbins. She was previously the assistant principal at Dunnellon Elementary.

• Marion Technical Institute Principal Isaac Burgess will become principal at Fessenden Elementary, a post vacated by Diana Greene, a former Marion County deputy superintendent who lost to Tomyn in the election. Greene was named deputy superintendent of schools in Manatee County.

Burgess joined the district in 1997 and has served as principal at Sunrise Elementary and Liberty Middle schools.

• Belleview High Principal Jim Wohrley will take over as Marion Technical Institute principal.

He joined the district in 1980, later serving as assistant principal at Dunnellon and Belleview High schools before being named principal at Belleview High in 2001.

• North Marion High Principal Mike Kelly will take over at Belleview High. He previously served as principal at Lake Weir Middle.

• Lake Weir High Principal Cindy Saunders will become principal at North Marion High. Saunders started with the district 23 years ago and was previously a principal at Howard Middle.

• Fort King Middle Principal Wayne Livingston will move to Lake Weir High. Livingston began his teaching career in 1987 before becoming assistant principal at three schools and principal at Evergreen Elementary. He transferred to principal at Fort King Middle in 2007.

School District spokesman Kevin Christian said there are four principal positions — South Ocala Elementary, Wyomina Park Elementary, Fort King Middle and North Marion Middle — that remain open.

Announcements for those positions will be made at a later date.

Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

<p>Superintendent of Schools George Tomyn announced a wave of new changes throughout the School District, naming two new district administrators and shifting eight principals to new schools, launching a domino effect throughout the county.</p><p>Tomyn's changes will take effect for the 2013-14 school year, which begins in July 1. Tomyn took office in November, replacing Jim Yancey who retired last year.</p><p>Tomyn said he has been meeting with his deputy superintendents to develop the best education plan for the district's 50 schools. The group interviewed principals to determine their goals. They also looked at those principals' experiences and strengths to determine where they best fit within the district.</p><p>Tomyn said many of the principals have been at their respective schools for four or more years. His team worked on the plan for a lengthy period of time before deciding what they felt was the best moves for the district. </p><p>“All of these principals are capable leaders,” Tomyn said.</p><p>Moving to the district office will be Lake Weir Middle School Principal Kathy Quelland, who will become director of school development and evaluation, a role designed to develop and evaluate school principals.</p><p>She joined the district in 1981 and previously served as principal at North Marion High school.</p><p>Also moving to the district office will be Maplewood Elementary School Principal Barbara Dobbins, who will become the director of Exceptional Student Education (ESE), a department responsible for educating more than 8,000 students with special needs.</p><p>Dobbins joined the district in 1999 and served as assistant principal at two schools before transferring to Maplewood, an ESE center school.</p><p>Those promotions triggered a landslide of principal moves.</p><p>• Emerald Shores Elementary Principal Stephanie Callaway will take over for Quelland at Lake Weir Middle. She previously was an assistant principal at Fort McCoy School.</p><p>• North Marion Middle School Principal John Williams will replace Callaway at Emerald Shores. Williams, who moved from South Florida, joined the district in 2009.</p><p>• South Ocala Principal Laura Burgess will transfer to Maplewood Elementary to replace Dobbins. She was previously the assistant principal at Dunnellon Elementary.</p><p>• Marion Technical Institute Principal Isaac Burgess will become principal at Fessenden Elementary, a post vacated by Diana Greene, a former Marion County deputy superintendent who lost to Tomyn in the election. Greene was named deputy superintendent of schools in Manatee County.</p><p>Burgess joined the district in 1997 and has served as principal at Sunrise Elementary and Liberty Middle schools.</p><p>• Belleview High Principal Jim Wohrley will take over as Marion Technical Institute principal.</p><p>He joined the district in 1980, later serving as assistant principal at Dunnellon and Belleview High schools before being named principal at Belleview High in 2001.</p><p>• North Marion High Principal Mike Kelly will take over at Belleview High. He previously served as principal at Lake Weir Middle.</p><p>• Lake Weir High Principal Cindy Saunders will become principal at North Marion High. Saunders started with the district 23 years ago and was previously a principal at Howard Middle.</p><p>• Fort King Middle Principal Wayne Livingston will move to Lake Weir High. Livingston began his teaching career in 1987 before becoming assistant principal at three schools and principal at Evergreen Elementary. He transferred to principal at Fort King Middle in 2007. </p><p>School District spokesman Kevin Christian said there are four principal positions — South Ocala Elementary, Wyomina Park Elementary, Fort King Middle and North Marion Middle — that remain open.</p><p>Announcements for those positions will be made at a later date.</p><p><i>Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.</i></p>